Technologies

Fortnite Is Offline on iOS. Here’s Why Apple Is Blocking Its Return

Epic Games says Apple has rejected its submission of Fortnite to the App Store in the US and Europe.

The publisher of the wildly popular online game Fortnite says Apple rejected its submission of the game to the iOS App Store.

In a post on X on Friday, Epic Games said, «Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.»

Blocking the game on iOS is the latest wrinkle in a legal saga pitting the game publisher against the world’s biggest tech company over App Store fees. Recently, a judge ruled that Apple has been ignoring a 2021 injunction barring it from blocking access to outside links for subscriptions and in-app purchases within mobile apps. That decision led to a class-action lawsuit and allowed publishers including Epic and Spotify to resubmit apps with ways for users to access subscriptions and purchases without paying through the App Store, where Apple takes a cut.

The game was expected to return to the iOS App Store this month, but the apparent rejection means that’s not likely to happen soon.

A representative from Apple did not respond to a request for comment on the submission.

Scanning a QR code to access the game on an iPhone takes users to a webpage that currently reads: «The Epic Games Store on iPhone is only available for European Union customers.»

Due to regulatory differences and legal rulings in the EU, Epic has been able to release its Epic Game Store for iOS in that region and gamers could download Fortnite through that app. Because the Fortnite update has to be applied on iOS across the board, that is no longer the case.

Technologies

Trump Tax Cut Extension Grinds to a Halt: Here’s What It Might Cost You

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for May 17, #706

Hints and answers for Connections for May 17, #706.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections puzzle is pretty fun. There are a couple of royal titles that might throw you off, though Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Think science.

Green group hint: Found in schools.

Blue group hint: Chilly Willy.

Purple group hint: Fifth letter.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Member of a kingdom in taxonomy.

Green group: Graduated instruments.

Blue group: Kinds of penguins.

Purple group: «E» things.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is member of a kingdom in taxonomy. The four answers are animal, bacteria, fungus and plant.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is graduated instruments. The four answers are beaker, protractor, ruler and syringe.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of penguins. The four answers are chinstrap, emperor, king and macaroni.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is «E» things. The four answers are commerce, mail, scooter and signature.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for May 17, #236

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 236, for May 17.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Connections: Sports Edition has one pretty simple category, especially if you’re a fan of horses. The other ones aren’t terrible, though there are a couple of very long words that barely fit in the grid. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: NFL division.

Green group hint: Sport of kings.

Blue group hint: Laverne and Shirley’s hometown.

Purple group hint: Hoops coach.